Mechanical body massager



Nov. 3, 1953 L. E. HOLLAND MECHANICAL BODY MASSAGER Filed May 26, 1952 I N V EN TOR. A 0:05 5 //0//d/70 HTTORNEK Patented Nov. 3, 1951;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MECHANICAL BODY MASSAGER Louis E. Holland, Lees Summit, Mo.

Application May 26, 1952, Serial No. 289,971

6 Claims.

This invention relates to health equipment, and more particularly to a mechanical body massager that is particularly adapted for mounting within and use in connection with a shower unit, the primary aim being to provide a continuously rotatable unit having a plurality of relatively thin, flexible, slapping panel thereon for gently massaging virtually the entire body While showering.

It is the most important object of the present invention to provide a mechanical-massager as above set forth that includes an elongated, upright shaft rotatable upon its longitudinal, vertical axis and provided with a plurality of relatively offset elongated flexible panels that extend in opposite directions radially from the shaft and slap against the body of the user standing next adjacent thereto under the shower.

Another important object hereof is to provide in structure as above outlined, a rotatable shaft having a pair of rows of elongated slots extending longitudinally thereof for frictionally receiving a like number of slapping elements made from rubber or the like, the slapping elements extending radially in opposite directions from the axis of rotation of the shaft and the rows of slots being offset 90 degrees so that the slapping elements alternately engage and massage the body as the shaft rotates continuously.

Other important objects include the way in which the slapping elements are arranged in edge-to-edge relationship, together with the way in which the shaft and the slapping elements thereon are caused to rotate continuously through mechanism disposed at a point remote from the shower-head itself and, therefore, out of danger.

In the drawing: 7

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a mechanical body massager made pursuant to the present invention showing the same operably mounted within a shower stall.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, transverse, cross-sectional view taken on line IIII of Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, enlarged, cross sectional view taken on line IIIIII of Fig. 1.

A shower stall, broadly designated by the numeral H3 and illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing, has a back wall I2 upon which is mounted a shower-head and control valves [6. The body massager hereof is preferably disposed within the path of travel of a spray of Water l8, emanating from the head l4 and includes an elongated, vertical, preferably tubular shaft 20. Shaft 20 is journaled in a bearing 22 mounted on the fioor 24 of the stall It, and, extends upwardly through iii a top wall or crosshead 26 above the head I4. Another bearing 28 mounted on the crosshead 26 journals the shaft 20 near the uppermost end thereof and a sheave 30 secured to the shaft 20 above the crosshead 25, receives an endless belt 32. Belt 32 also passes around a smaller sheave 34 on the drive shaft of an electric motor 36 that is in turn carried by an upstanding bracket 38 on the crosshead 26. An electric switch 40 having a cord control 42, is connected in the electric cir-. cuit for motor 3 6 in the usual manner.

.The shaft 2% is provided with a plurality .of elongated slots 44 extending longitudinally thereof, there being two rows of slots 44 offset degrees relatively, and each slot 44 frictionally receives an elongated, relatively thin rectangular panel 46 of rubber or like material. The panels 46 extend through their corresponding slots 44 and therefore, project in opposite directions radially from the shaft 28 with their longitudinal axes horizontal and their median transverse axes coincident with the vertical axis of rotation of the shaft 20, The spacing between the slots 44 is such as to dispose the panels 46 in edge-to-edge relationship as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

In operation, the user may stand in the shower stall [0 in the usual manner where he may control the valves l6, and by virtue of the cord 42 which is readily accessible, shaft 20 can be caused to rotate continuously while cleansing of the body takes place. The highly flexible panels 46 continuously and successively slap against the body, massaging the same and in fact, actually aiding in the cleansing operation. Primarily however, the panels 46 function to gently stroke and slap against the body to relieve tired and sore muscles and to effectively relieve fatigue as well as to completely relax the user all automatically while showering. The extent of slapping and/or gently stroking may depend upon the speed of rotation of the shaft 20, and therefore, the panels 46, which may be selected by the user, simply through variance in the size of the sheave 30 and/or sheave 34.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A mechanical body massager adapted for mounting within a shower stall, said massager comprising an elongated vertical shaft mounted for rotation on its longitudinal, vertical axis and having a plurality of slots therethrough; and an elongated, flexible slapping panel in each slot respectively and extending radially from the shaft in opposite directions.

2. A mechanical body massager adapted for mounting Within a shower stall, said massager comprising an elongated vertical shaft mounted for rotation on its longitudinal, vertical axis and having two longitudinally-extending, linear rows of elongated slots therein, said rows being relatively offset substantially ninety degrees; and an elongated, flexible slapping panel in each slot respectively and extending radially from the shaf t in opposite directions.

3. A mechanical body massager adapted for mounting within a shower stall, said massager comprising an elongated vertical shaft mounted for rotation on its longitudinal, vertical axis-and having a plurality of slots therethrough; and an elongated, flexible slapping panel in" each slot respectively and extending radially from the shaft in opposite directions, the longitudinal axes of the panels being horizontal and the transverse axes thereof being coincident with the axis of rotation of the shaft.

A mechanical body massage-r adapted for mounting within a shower stall, said massager comprising an elongated vertical shaft mounted for rotation on its longitudinal, vertical axis and having a plurality of slots therethrough; and an elongated, flexible slapping panel in each slot respectively and extending radially from the shaft in opposite directions, said panels being pliable whereby the same frictionally engage the shaft within the respective slots thereof 5. A mechanical body massager adapted for mounting within a shower stall, said massager comprising an elongated vertical shaft mounted for rotation on its longitudinal, vertical axis and having two longitudinally-extending, linear rows of elongated slots therein, said rows being relatively offset substantially ninety degrees; and an elongated, flexible slapping panel in each slot respectively and extending radially from the shaft in opposite directions, each panel being in edgeto-edge engagement with a panel next adjacent thereto.

5. A mechanica1 body massager adapted for mounting within a shower stall, said massager comprising an elongated, vertical, tubular shaft mounted for rotation on its longitudinal, vertical axis and having two longitudinally-extending, linear rows of elongated slots therein, said rows being relatively offset substantially ninety degrees; and a rectangular panel of relatively thin, flexible, rubbery material in each slot respectively and extending radially from the shaft in opposite directions, the longitudinal axes of the panels being horizontal and the transverse axes thereof being coincident with the axis of rotation of the shaft, said panels being pliable whereby thesame frictionally engage the shaft within the respective slots thereof, each panel being in edge-to-edge engagement with a panel next adjacent thereto.

LOUIS E. HOLLAND.

No references cited. 

